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New Dairy Donation Program expected to improve upon food boxes

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the new $400 million Dairy Donation program will discourage dumping milk and improve logistics at donation centers to distribute perishable products.

“So when and if we are in a situation in the future that we see a major disruption that could potentially cause farmers to have to dump milk, instead of dumping it there will be a resource that will allow them to not economically disadvantaged,” he explains.  

He says another component will be to make sure food banks can receive and store fresh products to distribute.

Vilsack, who made his comments during a Free Range Conversation this week hosted by American Farmland Trust, has also announced the development of a produce food box in place of the Farmers to Families Food Box program.

Michael Dykes, head of the International Dairy Foods Association, encouraged USDA to keep a wide variety of dairy products as a primary component of their distribution programs during a recent food purchases listening session and spread out the purchases over the life of the program.

“To minimize spikes in the dairy futures market that inevitably lead to increased market volatility,” he says.

IDFA and the National Milk Producers Federation are applauding the new program announcement.

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